title: The diagnosis and management of vertical defects within the furcation.
abstract: This article describes two common varieties of osseous lesions within the furcation--hemifurcal and crescent-intrafurcal defects--and their appropriate management. Although hemifurcal lesions are difficult to assess both radiographically and clinically, once they are diagnosed, they can be readily resolvable using a self-regeneration procedure or an osseous graft. Crescent-intrafurcal defects are more common than hemifurcal lesions and can be discerned more easily on radiographs than clinically. The treatment of a crescent-intrafurcal defect focuses on minimizing the vertical component. Self-regeneration or osseous grafting is considered an appropriate treatment course.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Wagenberg
mesh_terms: D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D017823:Furcation Defects / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014092:Tooth Root